Monday, 19 August 2013

Why I am awake when I shouldn't be (or why coups should be called coups, and killing is wrong whatever way you spin it)

[When I started this blog, the byline was 'to create the habit of writing, regardless of quality'. What a bunch of shit. I was too precious. That was why the blog ran dry. Let's start again. Here is some ranting, without precious editing, before sobering up. Let's start pissing on trees for real this time.]

I am angry. Mad as a cut snake, they used to say.

I have an important meeting tomorrow morning, it is now 2am, and I cannot sleep. Because I'm furious. Mad at a bunch of dumb monkeys (that is, humanity), at the mass media (with a few notable exceptions), and at the blood lust that money carries with it.

I've been reading the coverage of the massacres in Egypt. This is a difficult one for me to talk about. Why? Well, I've never been to Egypt - and it is hard to talk meaningfully about a place you've never been, whose language you don't speak, whose history you have a marginal knowledge of. Many would say that disqualifies me from meaningful comment, but they are wrong. Let me try to explain why...

I have a simple morality. I am against killing and injury and suffering. I don't really care your politics, religion, sex or creed - if you kill, injure or cause suffering you are pretty much in the wrong. I understand the anger that brings about these events - I am experiencing it right now - but stop it. Just fucking get a grip and stop.

Above I react out of emotion, out of empathy, but let us just talk rationally for a second. There are us, individuals, and there is the state, the nation state (I will not here get into corporatism). And let me tell you, in this day and age, they are just gagging for those who oppose them to use violence. Because the state are the ones with the police, army, the guns (and bullets) and tanks and all the 'crowd dispersal' techniques that are labelled as non-lethal, but somehow seem to kill. And they are just waiting for the excuse of violent opposition to use them.

We have banners, linked arms, feeble news networks, words (and justice - if not the law) on our side. The first rock thrown gives them the excuse (law and order) to crush us with their armaments. If we are strong, and maintain peaceful passive resistance, they have the agent provocateurs, the surveillance state, the pliant mass media to use against us. If all else fails, they simply attack and blame 'terrorists' and blatantly lie. It is hard to expose the lie from a hospital bed, let alone the grave.

I have watched the blood baths in Egypt in the media - like I did over two years ago. Like I did in Yemen (except I was in Yemen then, so actually know of what I talk of).

Here are a few general notes I would like to make.

When Saudi Arabia come out in support of the Egyptian military, you know something is wrong. When you watch the US wringing their hands, slightly, mildly, you know there is something wrong. When the EU wring their hands slightly more, but do nothing, you know something is wrong. When the US can't utter the word 'coup' when the military overthrows a popularly elected government, you know something it wrong. When the popular opposition to the Muslim Brotherhood resign their positions from government, and are then never heard about again in the international media, you know something is wrong.

The answers, my friends, enemies, and those who haven't read this far is simple. Money. Or if you like, power. But the two in these times are almost synonymous.

The US cannot call it a coup, because they have 1.2 billion dollars in 'aid' to the Egyptian military. Money that by their own laws cannot be given, if they say the word 'coup'. That is (for the mathematically challenged) 1000 times 1.2 million dollars. You and I are unlikely to earn a million dollars in our life. Your life earnings, times by a thousand, every year, to the military to buy weapons of death, which are now being used against the civilians in that country. The military that is supposed to protect all the citizens of that country, but have conveniently labeled a subsection of that citizenship 'terrorists' who can be killed. 1,000 killed, more? Let's put that in perspective. I am a reasonably sociable person. That is more than the entire number of people who I have met and remembered in my entire life so far (I am 41). Killed in a few days.

Here is another inconvenient fact. That 1.2 billion dollars is given to the Egyptian military. They then give it back to the US to purchase weapons. So the money comes from the US government (that is, tax payers), to Egypt, back to US arms manufacturers, to supply weapons of death. It is a simple, clean transfer of money from US taxpayers, to the US arms industry. Money that could have been used for education, health, infrastructure - hell - all kinds of things. However, it is passed overseas, and through a few thousands deaths, funneled back to people who make a profit out of making killing machines. Yeah - sure - they employ US citizens. Perhaps that same money could be used to employ US citizens without being funneled through death, injury and enrichment of the already bloated rich? But it isn't. At least some of that money makes it back through the US congress to fund the political campaigns of those who vote for this kind of international military bribery. Be proud America. You murdering bastards.

Sorry - that was a little convoluted. US gives money to foreign military, the military gives it back to US companies who make killing machines, those companies give some pittance to politicians in the US government, those politicians make sure the aid continues. Is that circle simple enough? Or do you want me to paint a cluster-fuck picture with you and Bushes/Obama in the middle with their dicks up your arse? I have many impoverished artist friends who would be happy to draw you a picture if you send in your photo.

And what bugs me most - what drives me mad - is that we seem to still live in a world where we think one side is right, the other wrong. You think I actually give a shit about the Muslim Brotherhood? Hell know! Let's lay it down on the line. You believe in God(s) - that is your problem. Even on my heaviest drug/alcohol binges I never thought there was an imaginary being controlling the world and myself. The only thing worse to me that worshiping a god, is worshiping money. Both are insane, but the latter can get you a lot further. And thus is more evil. I think the Muslim Brotherhood fucked themselves up badly - by being exclusive. That does not justify a coup. That does not justify the killings. They were elected - remember - democracy? The 'liberals' who opposed Morsi were sucked into a simple dumb arsed plot to put the ruling elite back into power. You dumb fucks. And you will pay for that mistake. (I won't make you pay of course, I have no power, you just get another Mubarak. Well done boys and girls).

Take a little look at who controls 10-30% of the economy in Egypt. Would that be, oh, the military? And without fail, ever, in the history of mankind, when you threaten to take money away from the powerful, what do they do? They use that money to undermine you, control you, kill you. They are even smart enough to let their hired thugs (neither police or the army) do most of the violence. When not the thugs, the police (who nobody respects anyway), whilst the 'pure' army sit on the sidelines until absolutely necessary.

But I already read the spin the press. The mainstream US press are as compliant as the Egyptian mainstream press. The Australian press are not far behind. Remember - I don't care for the Muslim Brotherhood at all - but I have some fondness for fair elections and elected governments. Like when Hamas was elected in an election seen as fair - but then rejected by the US (and of course Israel) because they were not the 'right' winners. Hell - I don't like Hamas anymore than I like anal examinations - but they won. If they are that fucked, let them get voted out next time. But that isn't good enough for our imperial overlords.

Enough! The whiskey is running dry, it is now 3am, and that meeting still looms tomorrow morning. I guess some of the anger has been blown on typing exhaustion. Whatever. Please have a lovely day, enjoy yourself, don't hurt anyone. No, really, don't hurt anyone. Is that so hard?